


Spotting Partner

by localnastyboy



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Anxiety, Awkward Flirting, Blow Jobs, Bottom Anders, Deepthroating, Dirty Talk, Fluff, Gym AU, Light BDSM, M/M, Masturbation, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Slow Burn, Social drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 08:36:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8742907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/localnastyboy/pseuds/localnastyboy
Summary: Anders decides to join the local gym to keep him busy but meets a regular who would end up being more of a distraction than he'd hoped. What can he say? He's a sucker for muscles and tattoos.





	1. Chapter 1

The equipment placed around the room was entirely foreign to Anders. He’d never lifted a weight in his life and wasn't entirely sure what a squat was. He joined the gym purely on a whim and now that he was here he felt entirely out of place. He was surrounded by big, sweaty men and usually this would be a big plus for him but he was intimidated. 

He wanted to play it safe today and wouldn't try anything that would make him look stupid in front of the stupidly gorgeous people that frequented the gym. He went through the doors to the men's change room and found an empty bench at the very back of the room to have some semblance of privacy. Anders wasn't ashamed of his body, he was just hyper conscious that everyone here had better bodies than him. He stood at 6'0" and was around 150 pounds soaking wet. The only muscle he had was in his arms from picking up his cat at home but he could never tell anyone that. He told Ser Pounce-a-lot that he would start going to the gym and he couldn't go home now because going back on your promise that you made to a cat is about the saddest thing you could do.

He removed his street clothes and put on a very loose t-shirt that he tucked into the waistband of some plain soccer shorts. He didn't think much about gym apparel until he walked in and saw everyone had on some sort of designer work-out clothes. He looked down at his own run-down sneakers and felt shame. This is going to be such a disaster.

He filled up his water bottle and headed to a vacant treadmill. Can't go wrong here. If you fuck up the treadmill then there is no God in this world that can help you. He scanned his eyes over the array of buttons on the dashboard of the machine and froze. Oh god there were so many buttons. What were you supposed to do with all these buttons? He stepped on the machine and pressed START. That much he could figure out, thankfully. He started at a walk and looked around the gym. If was full of the usual gym rats he expected to see; lots of dudes in “JUST DO IT” shirts and girls in tight yoga pants with their long hair in high ponytails. Anders couldn't figure out if they dressed that way because it was the most comfortable or if it was to impress everyone else. He immediately felt hyper conscious of himself and flushed red as he cranked up the speed to a light jog. 

He had pretty good stamina for being mostly immobile at home and watching cooking shows at home with Ser Pounce. Usually the only thing to quicken Anders’ pulse was when a contestant forgot a key basket item he would yell at the tv. YOU FOOL! YOU NEEDED THOSE BEANS FOR THE DISH!!! That's going to be a major point deduction.

Thinking about food at the gym. Typical. The TVs at the gym were playing various sports games depending on where in the gym you were working out. Anders was in front of a TV playing golf highlights with the subtitles on. Absolutely riveting. He forgot to bring his headphones with him so he had to jog listening to people grunt while picking heavy things up. Yuck. 

While he looked around, a particular gentleman caught his attention. I suppose gentleman wasn't the right word, Anders thought. He had a messy mop of black hair on his head and a thick beard. Anders had a bit of a thing for guys with beards but he felt a little pervy for checking someone out at the gym. He knew everyone does it but he still felt a little guilty. Only a little.

The man was about late 20s, early 30s, which was pretty close to Anders’ 31. He feels terribly old, which was amplified by the cracking of his knees while he jogged and the first grey hair he found the other day. He screamed when he found it and sent Ser Pounce zooming out of the room in terror. He then apologized to him for hours. The guy, though, was wearing the same douchey gym clothes just like the other men, sporting a horrifyingly lime green muscle tank and tight rugby shorts. This guy could easily lift whatever he wanted in this place and frankly it looked like he was showing off. He was in his own world, listening to what Anders assumed was probably EDM or something equally characteristic of the gym rat species. Guys who lived for “the gains” and lifting culture really were their own species. They all liked the same music, wore the same clothes, and all called each other bro than he would care to hear. 

He had a tattoo on his left bicep, some sort of red symbol that caught Anders’ eye. Tattoos were another thing he really liked. There was something incredibly masculine about it and he couldn't keep his eyes off him. Anders didn't have any tattoos or piercings other than his ear lobes he got done as a dare back in high school and didn't plan on getting anything else. Tattoos didn't really fit his personality, as much as he liked them on other people. 

The tattooed man was on the rowing machine, pulling back on the cord with muscular arms. After a few minutes he took a quick break, taking a drink of his water bottle and pushing the damp hair away from his face and happened to catch Anders’ gaze. His eyes were a piercing copper and they were looking right at him. Oh shit he saw him looking at him oh good and Anders turned up the treadmill’s speed to a run. He was beet red but maybe it would look like he was red from running and not red from watching a buff guy work out.

The other man didn't seem to care all that much and started another rep on his machine.

This was dangerous coming to the gym and he never wanted to come back again, like, this was an awful idea. People would think he came just to look at them since he clearly didn't belong here. He turned down the speed back to walk and took a drink of water. Such a terrible, bad, awful idea. He worked up a bit of a sweat by now and looked at the clock on the wall of the gym. He’d been here about 30 minutes so far and had to spend at least another 30 otherwise it would definitely be weird. He looked back up at the man on the rowing machine. His arms glistened from the sweat and his body worked with perfect form. His thighs were about the size of both of Anders’ legs together and oh God his HANDS. They were thick and he looked like he could build a log cabin with his bare hands. 

Anders eyes scanned him up and down. Fuck me sideways, I think I'm in love. 

He just focused on running for the rest of his time spent, trying to avoid a boner at all costs and escaped without incident. 

He grabbed a paper towel and a spray bottle and wiped down the handle bars of the treadmill and headed back to the change room. Anders decided he would just shower at home because he couldn't stand anyone seeing him naked right now. He was a bundle of anxiety generally but the gym left him feeling loose and relaxed, which almost made him more anxious oddly enough. He got back into his street clothes and packed his things up. As he exited the gym, he felt like there were eyes on him. He rushed out of the building and to his car. 

He decided he would come back to the gym, as painful as it was the first time, because now there was a reason to return and that reason was a tattooed man with black hair and intimidating eyes. He wasn't confident enough to strike up a conversation, but hopefully he’ll find out more about him eventually.


	2. Chapter 2

Ser Pounce lay across Anders’ lap as he scrolled through Netflix trying to find something to watch. “What sounds better, Pounce? I'm thinking either this nature documentary or old Dragon’s Den episodes.” Ser Pounce gave a soft meow and started kneading Anders’ stomach. “Are you calling me fat? You're one to talk.” The cat meowed again and sneezed. “Fine. Documentary it is.”

The couple sprawled on the couch together and watched as the tv showed panning shots of the ocean and a calm British voice narrated the scene. “You know, Pounce, I saw a guy at the gym.” The cat looked up at him silently. “Yeah, he's a cutie. He's absolutely ripped. He could probably throw me across the room if he tried.” Pounce meowed in response. “I know. I couldn't stop looking at him. I think he caught me looking one time. Do you think he's always at the gym? Like, what if he’s there the next time I’m there?” Pounce meowed again, his tail flicking about. “What if he’s straight? Oh God I'm making a fool of myself. He probably has people staring at him all the time. With those stupid muscles and stupid tattoo… do you think he has more tattoos?” The cat jumped off his lap and ran to the kitchen, Anders could hear him eating the dry food he left out. 

He sat by himself with just the sound of the documentary playing quietly. Even his cat doesn't want to hear his boy problems. Anders decided he needed to get some more friends.

He checked his phone and it was 11:45pm. No notifications. Anders picked himself off the couch and walked to his room. He had a nice one bedroom condo downtown with a view of the city below him. Rent was definitely too high but he liked living alone with just Ser Pounce to watch over. He moved out when he was 19 and has been living alone ever since. He enjoyed going to the pub every once in a while with his best friend Isabela but otherwise he was a homebody. He loved the comfort of his king size bed, surrounded by a mountain of pillows and an oversized duvet he could wrap himself in. He kept a cup of tea nearby at all times and cherished the moments of peace his private home offered. 

As he climbed into the massive bed, his legs started to feel very sore. He definitely overdid it for his first time back at the gym in years but it felt good to finally be active again. He would go back to the gym tomorrow after work and maybe try something else other than just the treadmill. 

As much as he loved living alone, his bed felt awfully empty tonight. 

-

Anders pulled into the gym’s parking lot and gave himself a quick pep talk. “You are a strong, beautiful man and you can handle any machine in there, no matter how many buttons are on it. Even if Cute Guy is there, you will focus on working out and that alone! Now get out there and get buff.”

He pushed open the doors of the gym and from a quick scan it looked like the coast was clear. He hiked his gym bag up his shoulder, relieved and disappointed at the same time. He made his way for the change rooms. Anders usually doesn't give into peer pressure, but before he came to the gym today he stopped at the local sports store and picked up some work out clothes that would help him blend in a little more with the crowd here. The pieces were a little more tight fitting than he'd hoped but anything was better than the ugly soccer shorts and t-shirt combo he sported the day prior; maybe he’d even look hot? Not that Anders was terribly concerned with looking attractive while working out, but if Cute Guy happened to be there, it wouldn't hurt to look presentable. 

The change room wasn't quite busy yet since he arrived before peak hours but he walked towards the last bench he used last time to go change into the new clothes he picked up. He turned the corner to set his bag down and oh GOD there he was. In his spot. It was Cute Guy. Anders had already walked into the locker area and he was too far to turn back so he had to commit. He placed his bag down and the guy was maybe five feet away from him. And he was positively shirtless. 

Anders had never been so self conscious in his life and he felt like he may actually die. He didn't even know if he could take off his coat, let alone getting naked in front of this guy. The guy looked like he was arriving at the gym, not leaving. Before the man put on his workout shirt, Anders have him a quick side glance and drank it in. His chest looked like it was carved out of marble with a dusting of hair covering his pecks and leading down towards his abs and went past his waistband. Anders had never seen anyone cut like this before in real life so close to him and it took all of his strength to not keel over and cry. Once dressed, the man walked past Anders but not before giving him a greeting nod and left the room. 

Anders was frozen in place. The guy NODDED at him. He actually acknowledged his existence. He wasn't sure he would be able to make it through the work out today without fainting. He felt like a goddamned teenager. It's been years since someone made his stomach flip like that and he was not used to the sensation. He quickly pulled on the rest of his outfit and walked onto the gym floor. 

He looked around to try and spot an empty machine but the gym seemed to have picked up while he was in the change room and most of the spots were filled. He saw one piece of equipment that didn't seem to have anyone nearby and he jumped on it. He gave the piece a once-over with a quizzical look just like he would have looked at any of the items in this place other than the treadmill and the elliptical. Those things he knew. Thankfully, all of the machines had little stickers with diagrams on how to use them. The thing had a bar that hung by a wire attached to a bunch of weights via a pulley system with a bench below it to sit on. It looks like you were supposed to sit and pull the bar down, but it didn't really show hand placement all that well. He was here now though so he may as well give it a shot. 

He placed his water bottle by his feet and checked out the weights that were attached to the cable from the last person to use it. It was set to 250 pounds. Anders thought to himself, I've made a terrible mistake. He pulled the pin out that kept the weights together and brought it down to 15 pounds to start. He sat down and reached for the bar dangling above him and pulled. His hands were close together and his arms bent weirdly as he brought the bar down towards his chin. This felt so terribly awkward and almost called it quits right then and there. Anders tried a dozen more times but he felt like he was doing something very wrong and just stopped. He released the bar and sat there on the bench, retying his hair in a short pony tail. He took a swig from his water bottle and sighed.

“Do you need a hand?”

Anders looked up and his jaw almost dropped. Cute Guy stood in front of him with hands on his hips and a white smile on his face. His voice was deeper than Anders had imagined it being and his black hair was already a damp mess. 

“I have no idea what I'm doing,” Anders answered meekly. He was embarrassed enough as it was, let alone having this gorgeous guy feel sorry enough for him to come over and help.

“No kidding!” The man laughed. It sounded heavenly. “Your form is all over the place. Mind if I give you some pointers? It's painful to watch you like this.”

“By all means, I need all the help I can get.” The guy said he was watching him. How long had he been looking at him? Anders ears turned pink and he could feel his face getting warm. 

“For starters, the name's Garrett Hawke, but just call me Hawke. I think it sounds better.” He extended a hands towards Anders.

“My name’s Anders,” he said while giving the hand a shake. Hawke had a tight grip that could have crushed all his bones if he tried. 

“Alright Anders. Show me how you tried to pull down the bar before.”

Anders reached for the bar again and pulled down. 

“Oh yikes. Definitely don't do it like that. Your hands are way too close together and your arms need to come down straight otherwise you lose all the benefits of the workout,” Hawke grabbed Anders’ hands and placed them near either end of the bar. His hands were rough against Anders’ soft skin which very obviously never worked a hard day in their life. “Try now.” Anders pulled the bar and and his arms felt much more stable with the wide stance and pulled it down with ease. “You're a quick learner! Maybe you won't be so hard to look at now,” and Hawke flashed another smile. 

“I'm usually pretty easy on the eyes,” started Anders and caught himself way too late. Was that a flirt? He just started talking to this guy and it was definitely crossing some sort of line. He wanted to slip into a coma.

“Now that you know what you're doing, definitely. Listen, I’m here most days so if you're ever unsure about a piece of equipment, just ask me. I’ve been working out at this place for years now and I try to help out. Don't be a stranger, Anders!” He waved and walked back to the machine he was working on earlier. 

Anders was absolutely dumbfounded. This guy, Hawke, didn't punch him for that line he pulled. If anything, he seemed to agree. He couldn't wait to get home and tell Ser Pounce all about this. Just who was this guy?

Anders finished his workout for the day with the surge of adrenaline coursing through him after the interaction and walked out of the gym with a little extra spring in his step.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been ages since Anders spoke to Isabela and he was starting to miss her so he pulled out his phone and gave her a call. They’d been friends since college and she was his go-to when he had eventually got himself in trouble and needed someone to bail him out. Where Anders was the self-proclaimed bumbling loser, Bela was the confident smooth talker. They had been inseparable since they first met but she travelled frequently for work so he was left without his best friend for weeks at a time on some occasions. She answered on the first ring.

“My love hath returned! Anders, you so often forget to write your beloved,” her voice always relaxed Anders and melted away all of his nerves.

“I know, dearest. I missed your voice.”

“And I miss getting into trouble with you. What are you up to?”

“Not much. Today I'm just spending the day with Pounce and catching up on some reading.”

“YAWN! Do you ever even get outside? When I get back you better not be as pale as you were when I left. You were already starting to blind me.”

“I'll have you know I started working out, actually! I'll be looking just like the men you fawn over soon enough.”

“I already fawn over you, sweet thing. You're joking though, right? I've never heard of Anders wanting to be a Mr. Universe-type. You already look sexy with the starving artist, hipster vibes you give off. Quite trendy, really.”

“I don't want to get like, gross buff, I just don't want to look like a limp noodle. Not to mention there's a guy at the gym.”

“A guy? At the gym? My word, I've never heard of such a thing!” Isabela taunted from the other side of the phone.

“I know, surprise. But he’s like. Fucking gorgeous.”

“You talk to him?”

“He talked to me, actually. He saw me being awful with a machine I still don't understand entirely what it was supposed to do. Then, he like, touched my hands. Moved them to help my grip. Like, what's up with that?”

“You say “like” a lot when you're excited, Andy. You _like_ like him?”

“ _Like_ like is a very strong concept, Bela.”

“Do you want to suck his dick?”

“Christ! Maybe!”

“You nasty slut!” He could hear Isabela giggling away from the phone, giddy with excitement for her friend. “Look who’s back in the game!”

“I didn't have much game to begin with; I can only ever talk comfortably around you. My anxiety has been crazy lately and whatever game I had left has shot itself and jumped out a window.”

“Well, you're still as dramatic as before.”

“Drama is all I have left,” he took a sip from his tea. “But you're entirely correct- I would totally suck his dick.”

Anders and Isabela continued to gossip about dick sucking and other sins they indulged in, as well as her future travel plans. She was due to return in a week or so if her schedule went according to plan and he promised to get coffee with her upon her return. Slumber parties were also not out of the question. He loved her to bits.

“Hey, Andy? You never even told me his name.”

“It's Garrett Hawke. He prefers just Hawke, says it sounds better or whatever but honestly he could be named, like, Gerald Von Snotterhaus XVth and I wouldn't even care.”

“Hawke, eh? Give me a sec.”

“Bella, what are you doing?” Anders could feel heart palpitations begin to manifest in his chest while Isabela went quiet for a moment.

“Look at the link I just texted you,” she answered finally after a few beats, not entirely easing his anxiety.

“What is it?”

“Just look, you baby!”

Anders unlocked his phone and saw a facebook link sent from Isabela. “What's this supposed to be?”

“Did you click it?”

“Not yet.”

“Well, shit! Click it!”

He hesitated for a moment before opening the link. Isabela would always prank him by sending crude pictures to his phone or awful music so he learned fast to question any time she forwarded him anything. He clicked the link and it redirected to facebook. When the page finally loaded, he almost vomited at what he saw. “Did you just…”

“I think a thanks is in order. Just wait to jerk off until after you hang up.”

“How did you find his facebook page?”

“How many Garrett Hawkes do you think live around you? Especially ones who check into the gym you’re going to so often? Honestly I’m surprised you didn't try searching him earlier. And you’re right, this guy is absolutely gorgeous. Thank God he has a public profile. You should look at some of the things he posts…”

Anders was scrolling so fast on his phone he almost broke the thing. Hawke posted a picture of his gym progress every couple weeks, each one taken in the mirror of the main gym floor. He usually posed shirtless, subtly flexing while holding his phone to snap a photo. Anders was dead silent while he swiped through Hawke’s profile.

“Sounds like you found the gym pics. I'm surprised, usually you don't go for the gym rat types.”

“I don't, usually…” he mumbled as he looked through the profile, almost like he was in a trance. A very scared, horny trance.

“I’m going to leave you to it, Andy. Seems like you're going to be busy tonight.”

“Like hell I am! I'm not that depraved.”

“Do you or do you not have a boner at this very moment?”

Anders looked down. “That's not important.”

“I'll talk to you later, Andy. Kisses!”

“Kisses,” he replied and he noticed she had hung up. She was unbelievable, but he really did have her to thank. He would feel too guilty if he were to rub one out to the photos. He decided he would lay in bed, hands at his sides, and patiently wait for sleep to take him. But, God, he was so fucking horny. He’s been going through a bit of a dry spell and hasn't been with anyone in almost a year.

He waited about 10 minutes before running to the shower, locking the door behind him.

Ser Pounce sat on the other side of the door, meowing and scratching incessantly to get in. His owner probably couldn't hear him, though, over the sounds of rushing water and shaky moans.


	4. Chapter 4

Anders woke up with a start the following morning after sleeping much longer than he intended to. He had less time than he’d hoped to get ready for work so he quickly hoped in the shower and threw on some business casual attire and ran out the door. It was a pretty regular office job but it payed the rent and kept him fed. When he wasn't at the office (and very recently the gym), Anders tried to volunteer as much as he could. He spent a lot of time at the local humane society and children’s improv groups. The humane society seems very normal, but most of his peers don’t pin Anders as an acting type. He's not, really. He’s just good a blurting out stupid things at the right time, and that keeps the kids entertained enough to keep him on as an instructor. He likes to think he's good with these kids due to his goofy nature and that he laughs at all of their jokes.

The group was comprised mostly of 13-15 years olds and it was kind of embarrassing at times because a couple of them very obviously had a crush on him. He remembered when he was young and would get a crush on his teachers and sucked up as much as possible. Kids were terribly at hiding their affection and Anders was certainly no exception. Is no exception, rather. Even as an adult, he still wore his heart on his sleeve and was awful at keeping secrets. This made it increasingly awkward for him as an already awkward person because whoever he liked new his intentions years before Anders would ever confess.

Anders pulled into the parking lot of his work and slipped through the front door. Even after waking up late he still managed to get in earlier than everyone else so he got to his desk without hassle. He set his jacket and bag aside and turned on his computer, very much not looking forward to editing hundreds of pages before the end of the day. He sped through the pages, anxiously counting down the hours before he could leave and make his way to the gym. So far every time he'd gone he saw Hawke there and he was sure he would see him again today. Just as his students very obviously had a crush on him, he hoped it wouldn't be too obvious that he'd clearly been thinking about Hawke while he worked out. He remembered last night when he spent about 20 minutes thinking about Hawke while he was in the shower and a smile crept across his face as he continued working at his computer.

Time was passing awfully slowly but finally the clock struck 5 and he was out of there before saying goodbye to anyone. He was stuck in traffic, making the short trip down the street unbearable. The city was pretty small so it made it easy to get around but with all the people, rush hour was absolute hell. We considered buying a bus pass instead but immediately wretched at the idea. It was starting to snow and busing in winter was 100% a no-go; he’ll stay in his car with heated seats, thank-you-very-much.

The gym wasn't as busy as usual today, probably due to the weather outside, and he quickly got changed and found a free space on the floor. Today he decided he would do something he was actually good at and sat down on the mats in front of the giant mirror. Anders had two things going for him; he had great stamina and he was also very flexible. His mom enrolled him in gymnastics as a child and even though he absolutely hated it, he stuck with it through elementary and high school and only stopped as he entered college. He never got to the competitive level, not because he wasn't eligible, but because of his horrible stage fright. His coaches pushed him to compete but he preferred to keep his talent quiet and would practice in the safety of the community centre. Now as an adult, he transferred his gymnastic abilities to yoga since it was something he could keep up with at home with Ser Pounce sitting beside him, trying to understand why his human was bending in strange ways on the soft mat.

Anders got the initial warm-up stretches out of the way and moved on to more complicated poses. He was alone on the mats which made him a little conscious but he tried to focus on his breathing and the way his body moved to keep his mind off the fact that there were probably a few eyes casually glancing over him.

He lowered his body into a low crouch and extended his hands toward the sky, slightly bending backwards. His movements were graceful and purposeful. He transitioned to a stance where he was seated on the ground, legs in a split and reaching forward. He hoped Hawke was there, watching him as his spread his legs on the floor, perhaps imagining how Anders’ body would fit underneath his bulk. Pinned under his body, Anders would grind backwards, pressing his ass into Hawke’s groin and feeling the heavy weight behind him.

He gets lost in his thoughts, imagining Hawke reaching around Anders’ thin frame and grasping his cock with his strong hands. They would be rough against the sensitive skin of his dick, stroking him with careful movements along his length. Anders would gladly sit on Hawke’s lap, taking him inside his own body and gasping into his lover’s ear in pleasure. Anders had always loved dirty talk and he hoped Hawke did as well. There was something about being smacked around and called a slut that really kicked it into gear for him. He never considered himself “kinky” since he never got to experiment all that much but getting choked was never out of the question. If Hawke were to order him around, he would oblige in a second. He’d been out of the game for a while but Anders would definitely consider himself a bottom. He never really cared for labels and they never came into play much since he has never tried online dating, but he was a bottom through and through. He is what Isabela would consider a “cock slut”. He hated the vulgarity of it but Anders got a lot of his enjoyment from his partner coming for him. He loved knowing that he could do something for them but he also just loved doing it anyways. Even if he didn't come himself, he loved to be used by his partner to achieve their own pleasure. He always swallowed; it made it seem so much dirtier and that usually pushed it over the edge for him.

He finished his set for the day and decided it was time to get changed. He towelled off the mats and walked towards the back of the gym. It was getting late for him so he decided he would just shower here instead of waiting until he was home. Most of the people had left for the night because of the horrible weather outside so he had the change room to himself. He put his clothes in his locker and headed to the showers with his bag of toiletries.

He took his hair out of the usual ponytail letting the blonde hair fall to his shoulders and he turned the tap of the shower. Hot water poured over him, washing over his sore muscles. He needed to take care of himself better when he finished, but he was usually so worked up that he would just shower and head straight to bed, leaving his legs aching in the morning. He pumped some soap into his hand and lathered himself up, letting the floral scent of the soap come over him. While he showered, another figure walked in and started a shower of their own. Anders was so caught up in himself that he didn't notice at first, but after a couple minutes he turned his neck to see who he shared the room with and stood there, naked, watching.

Hawke was standing across from him, water dripping down his naked body. He was facing away from Anders, so all he could see was the back of him, ass included. Fuck, he was so sculpted it should be illegal. His thighs were thick and looked strong enough to crush whatever was between them. He desperately wished _he_ was between them, whether he got crushed or not. Preferably not, but beggars can't be choosers. His shoulder muscles flexed as he lifted his arms to rub the soap through his hair. Anders was frozen staring at this guy showering. He hoped no one else would walk in because he wasn't being subtle about where his attention was focused.

Anders quickly turned away, trying to shower as quickly as possible without him noticing he was there. In his haste, he dropped the bottle of shampoo he brought with him, making a little commotion as he tried to pick it up with his slippery hands. “Shit. Fuck. Christ,” he cursed under his breath, feeling like whatever God there was above him was purposely playing with him and making the situation as terrible as possible.

“What a mouth on you! Anders, are you on your way in or out?” Hawke had turned towards him, still very naked, with his hands on his hips.

Anders whipped his head around, not expecting a conversation. “Sorry, just uh very clumsy,” he stuttered, trying desperately not to look down from Hawke’s eyes. “I just finished my set- on my way home now.” In a moment of weakness, he quickly glanced down and oh GOD Hawke was huge. And uncircumcised. Anders’ knees almost gave out on him. Hawke didn't seem to notice him look, which was very good news.

“Aw, that's too bad. I'm just getting here myself. You know what, we should grab a pint sometime. There's a bar just around the corner and they have like awesome wings.”

Anders’ heart fluttered. Did Hawke just ask him out? Getting beer is considered a date, right? Suddenly, he remembered how naked he was in front of this gorgeous man. “Y-yeah! That sounds good to me. Let's hammer out the detail later?” He just really wanted to put on clothes and die silently in the privacy of his home.

“Sure thing. See you around!” Hawke smiled before turning around again, ass pointed back to Anders again. It was so perfect he just wanted to reach over and grab it. He needed to leave immediately. Anders wondered why Hawke was even in the shower at this time, since they usually go straight to the gym floor. He didn't want to spend too much time thinking about it at this very moment because it was still standing there so he quickly rinsed off the soap that was still on him and towelled off in record time before finally escaping to his car.

He sat there, motionless, hands on the wheel. He hadn’t even turned the key yet. Hawke had asked him out to drinks and he bumbled back like an idiot. And his dick! He didn't want to linger too long in fear of being caught so he didn't get a great look, but it must had been at least 7 inches. Did Hawke look at _his_ dick? There was way too much to think about and Anders wasn't sure he could make it home alive after all of that.

He had to tell Isabela everything.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Isabela is a shameless enabler and Anders has a potty mouth. We're getting there, I promise. 
> 
> Everybody wish Anders good luck- he desperately needs it.

Isabela picked up her phone immediately after receiving the call as if she knew he was going to reach her. Anders took a deep breath.

“I saw him naked.”

“You slept together already?! That's quick, even for you!” she teased.

“What's that supposed to mean? I've never even slept around before, really.”

“You know I’m poking fun, but what the fuck do you mean you saw him naked?”

“He was in the shower. When he shouldn't have been.”

“What do you mean he shouldn't have been there? It’s a damn gym. People shower, Andy.”

“NOT BEFORE YOU WORK OUT, BELA.” Anders was absolutely red in the face, thank god he was in the privacy of his apartment or he would be more embarrassed than he already was.

“Fair enough. Continue.”

“You're awfully calm for the fact that I just told you I saw Garrett Hawke naked. Would you be surprised if I told you he probably saw me naked too.”

“You were in the shower, so obviously.”

“Yeah, but like, the goods.” Anders was so flushed he was about to have a meltdown.

“Is that so bad? Maybe if he knows you're packing heat he'll buy you dinner first.”

He hadn't even thought of any of this as being anything other than a negative. He thought on it for a moment. “I do like free food.”

“Well now I’m just jealous- I haven't even seen you naked before.”

“This isn't about you right now Bela; it's about me. Me and that fact that I saw a huge dick today and it belonged to Hawke.”

“Give me details, baby!”

“Like, about the dick or about the situation?” His head was in his hands. Isabela is absolutely the worst enabler in his life but damned if he didn't love her for it.

“Fuck, I don't know, both?”

“Uh ok. Number one, huge. Number two, shit, I don't know. I was about to leave and suddenly he was there and then he asked if I ever wanted to grab a beer. Is that a normal thing guys do? Ask each other out to drinks while naked? Is this a straight thing? Is this a GAY thing? I have no idea I’m so flustered I might just throw up.”

“You're not allowed to throw up. What did you say after?”

“I was like ‘Yeah, totally’ but honestly I don't remember much because I was focused on a BIG DICK IN MY FACE.”

“What's his manscaping situation like?” Her voice was low and she seemed quite invested.

“Trimmed? Bela, that's not important right now.”

“It's important if you don't want hair between your teeth after sucking him off.” She enjoyed this way too much.

“OH MY GOD, this is so not the point right now.”

“What's the point, then?”

“I don't know… I needed someone to gush to and you're my number one. Christ, I wish you were here. You've been away for too long.”

“I’ll be home soon, kitten. You know that.” Her voice resonated softly in Anders’ ear and his heart ached.

“I know. I just need my bestie on this right now. Ser Pounce doesn't exactly give the best advice.”

“What does your gut tell you?”

“Well, I still want to throw up.”

“Ok uh your other gut?”

The phone was shaking in his hand. “I want to kiss him so bad.”

“That's a good start.”

“A good start? I'm sorry, did you want me to say ‘oh man I want to take that dick up my ass or whatever’.”

“At least be more enthusiastic about it.”

“I'm not even sure I CAN take that up my ass…”

“If you dream it, you can achieve it.”

“That's it, I’m throwing up.”

“Love you too, sweetheart,” she said as she made a kiss into the phone.

Anders hung up and he felt almost more lost than he was when he called her up. Her advice usually pushed him towards whatever path would get him laid the fastest, which is appreciated, but he had no clue what to do with the information.

When he saw Hawke at the gym next, what was he supposed to do? Say “Hey, remember when you asked me out when we were in the shower? What day sounds best for you?” Anders felt like he was at the age where he should start thinking about settling down and he didn't want to get too caught up in juvenile crushes like this anymore. He wanted something concrete that he could hold onto; someone that he could bring home to mom. Not that his mom would like anyone he would bring home, but it's a fun thought. .

He still wasn't entirely sure as to what Hawke’s intentions were, whether they were harmless or something a little more intimate. He hoped to god that they were intimate but he's been made a fool of for hoping for the most before so Anders was fairly guarded. The classic tale of unrequited love was very familiar to him, being the only openly gay student at both his high school and in his graduating class at the small college he attended with Isabela. He dated a guy very much on the low key because his partner wasn't out yet, but it became too stressful and he had eventually cut it off. Anders hated having to be quiet about who he really was and became much more politically active as an adult and attended many rallies and a handful of protests. He also did get arrested that one time, which now that some time has passed, he can recall the memory and smile.

The time for rebelling and getting bailed out of jail was over, but he wouldn't stop himself entirely from having fun if the option ever arose; Anders was just bad at pursuing those very rare options. He likes to stay at home and watch cooking shows with his cat so he wasn't exactly putting himself out there. He'd only been to a gay bar once in his life and it was in his second year of college, forced into attendance by his best friend. He needed about three drinks before he even got loose enough to dance and always found a way to self-sabotage himself when a good looking man approached him on the floor. He left empty handed but he was happy he went, even though he had to share a cab on the way back with Isabela and a girl who straddled her lap and made way too much noise kissing the entire ride.

Before Anders rolled over for bed, he went to go grab his gym bag from where he dropped it at the door when he initially called Bela. He didn't buy too many new clothes just for gym use, enough to make it seem like he cared about his looks, but little enough that he had to run the washing machine more than usual. He started pulling out the shirt and short combo he hastily shoved inside earlier while he fled the scene and noticed as he emptied the bag, a little slip of paper fell out.

Anders was messy and fairly scatterbrained so he initially thought it was an old receipt and walked to the bin he kept under the sink to go throw it out. Before he tossed it, he unfolded the paper and saw it was blank except for a string of 10 numbers and a name.

HAWKE

The handwriting was sloppy and heavily outlined so the inscription was bold and obvious on the paper.

What Anders had in his hand was Garrett Hawke’s phone number. He must have slid it in his bag before the shower, that sly fucker! Anders’ hand was trembling. This man was going to kill him.

He started brewing himself a cup of tea, and while he waited, Anders sat at his dining table with his hands holding up his head and he stared at the piece of paper which he had placed in front of him. It was Hawke’s number. Hawke gave him a number.

Anders’ blood ran cold. This means the ball was in his court and he had to contact him. The first move was already made; since Hawke put his number in his bag, that meant he wanted to talk to Anders. There was interest! But it's feels like ages since Anders did this song and dance. How long was he supposed to wait before calling? Who’s he kidding, no one calls anymore. He would text Hawke instead. That’s easier and better at hiding the fact that his heart was about to drop out of his ass thinking about contact the man. He started to feel dizzy and reached for the kettle which should be finished brewing by now and poured himself a cup. Ser Pounce, as if sensing his owner’s distress, trotted into the room and jumped into his lap. Pounce was getting older but was full of personality (or Purrsonality, as Anders has made that horrible pun to Isabela before). He tucked his head under Anders’ chin and nuzzled softly, meowing quietly. A little smile grew on his face as he petted his cat and took a sip of his drink, anxiety easing off.

He looked down at the paper again and he promised himself he would send him a message the next day.

Anders took another drink from his tea and quietly spoke to himself.

“Don't mess this up.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Name and time stamp indicates text messages, as writen in italics.

The piece of paper lay where Anders had left it on the dining table. He stared at it, brows furrowed.

He sat at the table, hands under his chin while he thought of his next move. He had been sitting there like that for an hour. Give or take.

Ser Pounce lightly clawed at Anders ankles for attention and he bent over and plopped him in his lap. His cat has been getting fat lately, but because of the cold weather Anders didn't want to let him outside, especially since now that he lives in the condo there's not much place for Ser Pounce to go. What work out regiments could he put his cat under? The cat purred against his owner’s hand, pushing into it to to maximize the scritches behind his ear.

Cuddling with his cat offered a little distraction from the slip of paper that sat before him, a guilty reminder of what he was supposed to do. Should he just say “hey”? Should be be a little more flirty instead? He was so incredibly hopeless at this; he stayed awake at night thinking why anyone would ever initiate this sort of contact unless they felt sorry for him. Hawke seemed cheery enough to talk to him, but he couldn't help but think that this was all out of pity. Anders was a skinny guy who couldn't handle gym equipment to save his life and suddenly this gorgeous buff guy strikes up a conversation with him? Unlikely, to say the least.

He picked up his phone and typed a simple message. Nothing offensive, but friendly enough to not make Hawke get bored of him already.

_Anders 19:32pm: Hey, it’s Anders. Couldn't help but notice this little paper that seemed to have make its way into my bag._

Anders wanted to throw his phone across the room as soon as he sent it, a sudden wave of anxiety flowing over him He didn't move, but his hand twitched as he pet Ser Pounce. The cat didn't seem to notice and continued to purr happily. His phone vibrated in his hand a couple minutes later and Anders had to force himself to look at his phone.

_Hawke 19:39: im glad u found it. figured this was a better way to get in contact with you :)_

Anders’ heart was racing. A fucking smiley face in his message. How dare he.

_Anders 19:41: If by better you mean better than a shower than yes I would have to agree_

_Hawke 19:41: srry if i scared you i didn't even think that would be weird. i'm pretty comfortable around the gym and if it bothered you i'm sorry!_

His immature texting style calmed Anders down a little; he was worried this would be way more… I don't know, adult? Hawke had a carefree nature about him that made him incredibly approachable and way too charismatic for his own good.

_Anders 19:45: No it's all good. What are you up to?_

_Hawke 19:47: just at home. today is my rest day so I’m relaxing with my dog :) you?_

_Anders 19:48: You have a dog? Oh yikes I'm definitely a cat person. Hope that doesn't ruin anything._

_Anders 19:48: But I'm just hanging around, not too much special._

_Hawke 19:50: doesn't ruin it in the least. you're cute_

Now Anders definitely wanted to fling his phone across the room. He stood up from his chair and Ser Pounce jumped off of his moving chair. He paced from his room, to the kitchen, to his room, and back to his kitchen again. Hawke said he was cute. He obviously didn't mean it seriously right? Anders wasn't necessarily religious by any means but he prayed to the Maker to grant him with mercy on this here evening and to help him not screw everything up.

_Anders 19:57: Not sure if cute is the right word. Try nervous, instead lol_

_Hawke 19:59: what's there to be nervous about?_

Oh fuck did he just completely misinterpret this entire thing? His head was spinning at all the ways this could end awfully before it even began. The next text cut his worrying short.

_Hawke 20:05: what if I take the lead? :)_

Anders prayed to the maker above that Hawke wasn't as pitiful as he was with initiating conversation, let alone flirting. He dared to flirt back.

_Anders 20:07: I'd really appreciate that. Care to show me?_

He looked at his phone in painful anticipation while he waited for Hawke’s next message.

_Hawke 20:15: don't think i didn't notice you at the gym. granted, you were terrible so most people probably saw you, but maybe I was looking a little closer. you picked out new clothes. you came by almost every day. you seemed to be looking at me pretty closely too. am i wrong?_

Anders’ blood ran cold. He was caught and Hawke knew all of his secrets. Anders knew he was terrible at hiding his emotions and he didn't think he was doing anything too obvious to warrant these observations. He loved to look at Hawke’s ass while he worked out, embarrassed by how often he thought about his bulk pressing into Anders’ back while he lay flat on the mattress in his condo.

_Anders 20:19: No, you're not_

_Hawke 20:21: didn't think so. let me take you out. what do you think?_

_Anders 20:22: I think I'd like that :)_

He added the smiley for good measure.

A little back-and-forth later and they made some plans. This Friday, Hawke would meet him at the bar a few blocks away for friendly drinks. Anders didn't expect much since he thought Hawke would just write him off the moment they met- that he would see through him as a nervous wreck with little to no sex appeal and immediately he felt his stomach drop. What do you wear to a bar? This isn't formal is it? He wanted to consult Isabela since she was a dating expert but he decided against it; Anders would figure this one out for himself and if he messed up then he would know exactly why.

If felt like years before Anders fell asleep, mind running wild with ideas of the date. It was safe to call this a date, he thought. As much as he was worried, he was incredibly proud of himself for even getting this far and thought about how much further he would go. Would Hawke find his fretting endearing or annoying? He said he was cute so that's a good start.

Anders held Ser Pounce close as he drifted to sleep and the gentle purring easing his nerves. Tomorrow was Thursday, so he had just one day to mentally prepare.

Maker give him strength. 


	7. Chapter 7

The bartender slid Anders his drink and he tipped appropriately. It's been a while since he's been out but he hasn’t forgotten drinking etiquette. He decided on wearing a pair of dark jeans and a dark blue sweater with a scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. He wasn't sure how casual this was supposed to be so he figured it wouldn't hurt to look sharp. He arrived at the bar a little earlier than the time they agreed on, mostly because Anders was worried about being late, but he only had arrived 10 minutes early. He anxiously played with his cellphone while sipping his gin and tonic.

When it hit 8:02, Anders started to get nervous. He an incredibly punctual person and even though he knew two minutes was nothing to worry about, he still fidgeted in his chair. After one more beat, Anders heard the chime of the bell above the door ring and he turned towards the sound. Standing at the door was Hawke, bundled in a wool coat and a beanie, his nose a little red from the cold outside. He spotted Anders at the bar and waved with a smile and Anders’ heart stopped. Hawke made his way over and sat down beside his date, stripping off his coat and hat. Underneath he had on a button up with the sleeves rolled to his elbows and the shirt was left with the top button undid. Anders drank in the sight and felt as if he was floating. Hawke’s forearms were thick with dark hair covering them. He had thought about these arms near every night after he started to go to the gym and imagined them wrapping around his waist as Hawke would pull him into-

Anders stopped fantasizing when he saw Hawke looking at him as if waiting on something.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn't quite hear you?” he managed to make out.

“I just asked how you were doing today. If I knew it was going to be so shitty out I wouldn't have made you come so far to get here!”

“That's quite alright, really, we’re not that far from my place so it was only a ten minute walk,” he took another sip of his drink as Hawke’s smile lit up on his face.

“I’m glad! How early did you get here? I was going to get you your drinks,” Hawke said as he eyed Anders’ hand.

“Not long! I'm sorry I should have mentioned I’m weird about getting to places early. Habit of mine.”

“No worries, just make sure your next drink is on me, ok?” He gave Anders a wink.

Anders gulped at Hawke's offer. “Yes, of course!”

Hawke laughed and turned towards the bartender. “I’ll get a pint of Beau’s, if you please! Also start a tab for me and the gentleman beside me.” The bartender nodded and poured Hawke a glass.

Anders felt the gin begin to reach him and he smiled at his companion, “You're dangerously charismatic, did you know that?”

“With great power…” he started and laughed again. “Is it working?”

Anders shook his head and smiled, “I suppose it is.” He finished his drink and before setting it down, Hawke had already got him another.

“Are you trying to booze me up, sir?”

“Who, me? Boozing?” Hawke jokingly raised his hands above his head in innocence. “You're not driving, are you?”

“I walked, remember?”

“Then tell me when you’re slowing down because I like to treat my dates.”

The word ‘ _date_ ’ rang in his ears. “As long as I can still walk home.”

This was their first real time talking and Anders was surprised at how comfortable he was. Yes, there was alcohol to factor in, but he felt honestly good about how this evening was going. He tried to match Hawke’s flirty personality, but even when he failed, Hawke still seemed to laugh and encourage his goofiness. With the alcohol loosening their lips, he learned that Hawke has family in the city, his brother and sister, who like to drop by and visit him every so often. At 29, he's the oldest of the three and he's very protective of them, as much as they can take care of themselves. He likes to write poetry, something Anders had never imagined possible of the burly man, but there it was. When Hawke confessed his guilty pleasure was watching cooking shows, Anders shouted in glee.

“You too? Oh man, I get so pumped up when I watch them! I can't cook for shit but I just love them so much…” He was laughing so hard and Hawke clapped a big hand on his back.

“I like to think I’m actually a really good cook! I should cook for you! What do you eat?”

“I love pasta and like chicken, I guess! Watching my figure, and all that.”

“You, watching your figure? Have you ever looked in a mirror?”

“I try not to,” Anders slurred while whipping a tear from laughing so hard from his eye.

He was worried they were being too loud but he was having so much fun. He told Hawke about his volunteering work at the humane society and with the kids at improv classes. Hawke grasped at the information, unable to imagine Anders up on the stage cracking witty one-liners.

“What, you don't think I can be funny sober?” He pouted at Hawke and took a sip from his third drink.

“I'm sure you're great! I tried improv a few times in college for shits, but that's about all. I'm not a terrible actor, but I know my strengths and stick to those.”

“I could teach you along with the kids. They would get a laugh out of you, I think.”

“You're just being mean to me now!”

“Oh hush, you!”

They sat at the bar like that exchanging stories for almost two hours, getting to know each other and making joking jabs between drinks. Anders figured three drinks would be good enough because he didn't want to be sloppy on a first date. His tolerance was a lower due to inactivity but Hawke seemed to be doing just fine; he did get a little louder after a few drinks but he was handling his own quite well. He was such a huge guy Anders knew he had to be a heavy weight, something he did not have the luxury of being. He joked that at least it made him a cheap date, to which they both laughed.

Hawke ordered himself a fourth beer, but he mentioned to the bartender he would pick up the tab after. Anders tried to hide the fact that he didn't want to end this so early, but looking at his watch it was getting close to 11. They chitchatted a little longer, but once Hawke finished his beer, they began to pull on their coats. When the tab was payed they made their way through the door.

“Where do you live?” Anders shuddered when they walked into the cool air. It was considerable colder than when they had met up.

“Just 5 minutes from here, so nothing bad.”

“That's on the way for me, I’m just a bit further from you.” He got weirdly excited knowing Hawke lived so close to him. This was a small city after all, but it still made him smile.

“Then, shall we?” Hawke extended his arm to Anders, to which he gladly accepted. They were both a little tipsy and they leaned on each other while they walked, Anders leaning a little more so.

They approached a row of townhouses and Hawke pointed out the last of the row to be his. As they got closer, Anders began to feel a little dizzy. What was he supposed to do when they got to his door? It was just a first outing and he didn't want to anything while he was drunk. Would he just walk away and pretend he didn't want Hawke to invite him in?

“Well, this is me,” Hawke said as he turned to Anders, standing just an inch taller than the blonde.

“Not a bad area. Lived here long?”

“About ten years.”

They stood there in silence, cold wind and the beginning of a snow fall swirling past their silhouettes in the darkness, only illuminated by Hawke’s porch light.

“Guess I’ll see you around?” Anders hated how this was going. His hands were horribly clammy and he prayed Hawke didn't notice how awkward he was and that he would say something in return.

“Well,” Hawke took a deep breath in, “you would be welcome to come in for a bit to get out of the cold?”

Oh god, he said it. He looked up at Hawke and their arms were still hooked. Hawke only offered a crooked smile while he waited for Anders to respond.

“Oh… I mean, that's crazy nice of you to offer. I'm just, a little, you know?” He stumbled over his words so badly it felt like he crashed into a brick wall. “First date, and all.”

Hawke unhooked his arm from Anders and Anders felt like he was going to cry. He fucked up this perfectly good date with his dumb nerves and Hawke was going to leave him like this. Instead, Hawke took that hand and pressed it gently to Anders’ cheek, the warmth of the hand radiating into Anders’ chilled skin.

“I respect that, and I shouldn't have put you on the spot like this,” his thumb rubbed at the stubble that peppered Anders’ face and he melted into the touch.

“Sorry if I messed this up,” he stuttered and his eyes almost welled up with tears but he willed them back, “I should have warned you before you invited me out.”

“About what? You didn't mess up anything.” He moved his free hand and gently rested it upon Anders’ hip and they were facing each other directly, “Can I see you again?”

“Yes, I’d really like that,” but before he could say his response in its entirety, Hawke leaned and pressed a kiss to Anders’ lips. Anders held his breath, not wanting to disturb the moment he had been thinking about for weeks. Before he could finish remembering every curve of Hawke’s lips, Hawke stepped back and dropped his hand from Anders’ face.

“I’ll see you soon then,” he said in a hushed voice with a smile, turning to unlock his door.

Anders dumbly raised his hand to wave. “See you…” He smiled back but Hawke was already inside his house. He was light headed with the combination of Hawke and alcohol clouding his mind. He walked the rest of way home quietly, forcing his feet to carry him forward through the snow.

He finally made it to his condo and dropped his things at the door, Ser Pounce jumping to meet his owner at the entrance. Anders shuffled past the cat and into his room, falling face first into his mattress. He rested for a moment before a buzz in his pocket startled him.

_Hawke 23:35: I hope you got home safe :)_

Anders blushed into his pillow as he reread the simple message over and over. Maybe he didn't fuck this up as bad as he thought. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where things are picking up in terms of spice level, so keep an eye out as I will be updating tags as necessary.

_Hawke 23:35: I hope you got home safe :)_

* * *

   
It was the first thing he looked at when he woke up the next morning and his stomach was filled with butterflies for the second time. Anders clutched his phone close to his chest as Ser Pounce jumped on the bed, purring as he curled around Anders’ head.

“It was amazing, Pounce.”

“Mrrow.”

“Honestly. I think this was my first actual successful date. Yeah, sure, I was maybe a little drunk but it was for everyone’s benefit.”

Pounce nuzzled in closer.

“I was talking like a human the whole time. Then we were, like, linking arms! We walked and then when we got to his house, I kinda started to make an ass out of myself because YES, I do want to sleep with him, but this would have been too soon for me. He didn't seem to hate me for it through, otherwise it would have been a crazy red flag, but still good news! And then he kissed me. It was way too short and I wanted to die but I still kissed him. He smelled so good, too. Is it weird that I thought he smelled good? Well, he did.”

The cat stood up and stretched before jumping back off the bed. Anders’ hair was a mess and he was still in the clothes he wore last night. He didn't want to move, he just wanted to lay in bed and re-run the whole date back in his head. He really wanted to see Hawke again but a different thought struck him. What if Hawke was just in it for the sex? He seemed keen to see him again too, but Anders wanted something real, not just a conquest. From the outside, Hawke looked like a man who could walk into any bar and take home whoever he wanted. He was way too gorgeous and he still had his youth about him to get away with any antics he would get into. Anders was only two years older than him but he felt over the hill. Would Hawke settle for him? It was way too early to think about settling down with this guy that he went on one date with, but Anders was crushing badly. Was Hawke thinking of him the same way he thought about him?

Maybe this was all just an elaborate ruse to get Anders worked up? Maybe Hawke was put up to it by someone? Anders’ breath began to quicken as he ran through all the possible awful scenarios that could be transpiring. Anders dug through his brain to remember if he had a passport in case he needed to flee the country. What was the immigration process like these days anyways? He made a mental reminder to look into Canadian immigration laws. He could deal with Canada if he had to drop everything. Yes, Canada was a good choice. He knew he was being stupid and that one date is a dumb thing to fret over, but there's no harm in having a plan B.

He slowly rose off of his bed and stripped off the old clothing as he made his way towards the shower. He wasn't hungover by any stretch of the word but he was definitely tired and his muscles were sore. He definitely wasn't as young as he used to be and hoped the warm water would help loosen him up. He was half hard when the water started to wash over him but he tried to pay it as little attention as possible. He wasn't especially in the mood in his groggy state and wanted to be out of the shower and back in his comfy clothes as soon as possible.

Once he towelled off, he flopped into bed in his ratty old sweatpants that were perfect for comfy occasions such as this. Anders didn't have much planned for today since it was the weekend so he was just going to play it by ear. He shot Isabela a quick text about the drinks he had the night before to which she responded with a few cheering emojis, followed by an eggplant and peach, whatever that was supposed to mean.

He opened up his laptop and snuggled into his oversized duvet. He had some leftover chips beside his bed so while he looked for something to watch on Netflix he shoved 4 chips in his mouth at once. Anders was a little self-conscious about eating in public but when he was home alone he was an absolute monster, which Ser Pounce didn't mind because there were always crumbs for him to lick up. On the outside, Anders might seem really quiet and shy but Isabela knew him better, and as she would lovingly say, he was a freak. He would do weird things around the house like sing and dance and take way too many pictures of Ser Pounce. He would also talk to himself- a lot. He used to have a roommate back in the day but ever since he lived alone, he was left to his own quirky devices. He would snort loudly when he watched rom coms and ugly cry watching Disney movies.

There was never a middle ground for him; he was always one extreme or the other. The king of impulsive decisions that usually got himself in some sort of trouble but once in a blue moon it would work out in his favour. Joining the gym was an impulsive decision and that didn't turn out so bad, did it? It scored him a date with Hawke and great, now he’s thinking about Hawke again. Hawke, the man with the strong arms that showed so beautifully under the rolled-up sleeves of his button up. He swore he saw the peak of chest hair from where the first button was popped and he desperately wanted to see more. What Anders would give to unbutton the rest and leave a trail of kisses down his chest and down past his hips.

He wondered what kind of lover Hawke would be- would he gently cradle his smaller frame in his arms or would he grip Anders by his neck, forcing his face into the mattress while he pounded him from behind? Anders had a fair time experimenting with rougher encounters, the introduction he got from his ex-boyfriend of many years ago, Nathaniel, kickstarted his enjoyment of mixing pain with pleasure. Nothing too crazy, since admittedly he had a low pain tolerance, but enough to leave him a snivelling mess. Anders would call himself versatile, since it was unrealistic to put yourself in a single category in bed, but he did prefer to be the one to be handled and used. He can tie a fine knot, sure, but he sported them so well himself. When he was bound and helpless, he would often recall his lovers telling him how gorgeous he was.

“ _You look so pretty tied up for me. You make such a perfect present, don't you? You love to be on display for me for me to watch and use. Now make some noise for me, you little slut.”_

A chill ran down his spine when he remembered the encounter. His most recent rendezvous, if you could call them recent, were fine enough by his standards but terribly vanilla. His lovers weren't wrong when they would remark how he liked to be shown off and the dirty talk would drive him crazy. Especially when he was young and rebellious he had attempted most things, some better than others, because he liked to be able to say he at least tried them once. He wasn't terribly fond of role play, but he could say he crossed it off his list.

He was so caught up reminiscing that he forgot he started watching something. He reached for his phone to check the time and it was nearing evening. Disappointingly, there were no new messages from Hawke, but he should give the guy a bit of a breather. He had learned to not smother his crushes since that usually ended up badly for him, so he hesitated when he wanted to text him back. He decided he would calm down and just keep watching his show as he shovelled a few more chips in his mouth.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a beast compared to the previous ones and I'm very happy with how it turned out! I think you'll all like it as well :)

Anders sat in his office chair, shifting uncomfortably as he nears the end of a 10 hour shift. One of the main contributors to his company just submitted a huge paper and Anders and a coworker of his had been running through it all day and it would take up most of his time at work for the foreseeable future. He wasn't supposed to have his phone on him at work, but he couldn't help but check it periodically to see if he'd received any new messages. His eyes burned from staring at his computer screen for so long and he rubbed at the bridge of his nose as he read the final sentences of the last chapter for today. Not that he had anything incredibly exciting planned for tonight, just that anything was better than work at the moment.

Answering his prayers, 5 o’clock finally came around and he slowly collected his affairs with hands exhausted from typing all day. As he pulled on his jacket, a familiar buzz came from inside his pocket.

_Hawke 17:05: remember how I said I was a good cook?_

His heart skipped a beat at the message and he wrote a response back immediately, hoping it didn't look like he was waiting for a message all day. It was much easier to play it cool over text than face-to-face.

_Anders 17:06: You did mention something like that_

_Hawke 17:06: i know its last minute and all but i mean like if you don't have any plans tonight i think it would be fun if I whipped up something from Hawke's World Famous™ cookbook ;)_

_Anders 17:08: Well if it's “World Famous”, how could I say no to such a privilege?_

_Hawke 17:10: haha good! you're probably getting off work around now, yeah? would it be unreasonable to shoot for like 7? is that too late?_

_Anders 17:11: That’s good with me_

_Hawke 17:11: awesome see u soon! :)_

He put his phone on his pocket and his head felt like it was full of clouds, unable to completely process the invitation. He was so happy he wanted to yell but he wasn't quite out of the office yet so he ran out of the building and into his car in record time. Hands gripping the steering wheel like a vice he couldn't help but yell, “OH GOD! FUCK YES.” He hoped no one was looking at him from outside but he didn't care all that much because he was so excited. Hawke was going to cook for him. He thought that when Hawke told him that at the bar, it was just some drunk small talk but he was being serious.

Two hours didn't give him much time to mentally prepare, but goddamnit, if he wasn't going to do it anyways. The idea of going to his house empty handed seemed terribly rude so before he got home he drove to the closest liquor store to pick something up. Did Hawke drink wine? What if he didn't like the one he picked? He doesn't know what he was going to make so he couldn't pair it, not that he really understood how pairing works anyways, but it would have been nice to try.

The liquor store was busy tonight from the looks of the parking lot and he prayed that the lineup wasn't too long because if he was late for Hawke's dinner, that would have been the end of him. As he walked through the doors, he made a beeline to the rows of French wine since that's what he was partial to and hoped Hawke would like it just the same. He picked up a bottle of mid priced Cabernet Sauvignon which is generally a safe bet and headed to the cash. He checked his phone and it was 5:35 and he was getting concerned when the woman currently being served had about 10 bottles in her basket and he tapped his foot nervously as he waited for his turn. Five minutes passed and quickly paid for the bottle and jumped back into his car. He was rushing so fast he forgot his change, but he was already headed to his apartment. He still needed to shower and figure out what to wear and his head was spinning.

When Anders came through the door, he payed no attention to Ser Pounce who was waiting for him near the door and felt a tang of guilt when he closed the bathroom door behind him. While he showered, he thought about whether Hawke would bring up their kiss from the last date or if he would ignore it and simply have a pleasant dinner. Would Hawke kiss him again? There was absolutely too much going on and it made it progressively more difficult to focus on the task at hand. He looked down at his crotch and debated whether he should shave; he kept himself maintained but he didn't know what Hawke would think- not that Anders had any expectations of how dinner would go, since it was just dinner after all. He decided to forgo to the razor tonight.

Now the difficult decision: how the hell was he supposed to dress? He dressed business casual when they went for drinks, but since this was at Hawke’s house he didn't know what would be considered normal. He tried on about three different shirts before deciding on one of his nicer black v-necks that clung to his frame and a pair of dark blue jeans that he chose for the specific reason that they fit his behind so well. He looked in the mirror and turned, giving his ass a slap and smiled.

It was now half past 6 and grabbed the bottle in his way out, not before giving Ser Pounce a little pat on the head.

“Wish me luck.”

“Mrrow.”

He got in his car and drove over, and he instantly felt stupid. He forgot how close Hawke lived to him and cursed to himself- he would be so early. He parked around the corner and sat in his car, fiddling with his phone until it was a socially acceptable time to knock on his door. Many minutes passed and each time he refreshed the app he was looking at his heart pounded a little harder as the time got closer to 7. He remembered to bring his Ativan with him just in case but he prays he doesn't need to use it. On their first date, Anders felt so comfortable with Hawke that he completely forgot he had crippling anxiety for a couple hours which was a welcome feeling he didn't get to experience often. Anders still would have been a few minutes early, but after a quick pump up talk, he got out of the car with the bottle of wine in hand. He knocked on the door of Hawke’s townhouse and waited briefly before the door opened.

Hawke greeted him at the door with a smile as warm as ever and welcomed him inside.

“Hey, sorry I'm a bit early! Thanks for the invite!”

“I figured you would be since we went out the first time so I actually planned accordingly,” he laughed and it sounded like a blessing.

“I'm sorry I'm like this… but I did bring the booze so I hope that makes up for it.”

Hawke took to bootle from Anders’ hands. “You have nothing to make up for! But alcohol is never a bad thing, thank you! This stuff looks fancy. Come on in, I’ll take your coat for you.”

Anders shrugged off his coat and toed off his shoes and realized he wasn't even wearing matching socks. What a nightmare. Hawke didn't seem to notice and hung up Anders’ wool coat. Turning the bottle over in his hands, Hawke turned to Anders. “Does this need to breathe a little or is it ok in bottle?”

“Ah, either is fine I think.”

“I'll put in a decanter for now, then. Go make yourself comfortable and I’ll be back in a moment,” Hawke motioned to his living room to the left of Anders.

The living room was quite cozy, Anders thought to himself, with a love seat and couch sitting across from each other in the small room with a faux fireplace separating the two. It was a fairly modern setting which was surprising to Anders but he curled up on the couch happily while he waited for his host. Looking around the room, he could see a few photographs hung about the walls and a few plants on the windowsill waited for the afternoon sun. Hawke was definitely cleaner than Anders was, as it looked like nothing was hastily shoved under the couch or hid in the closet like he would usually do if he had company last-minute.

While he sat inspecting the room, he heard a loud scratching on the hardwood and before he knew it, an absolutely massive pitbull came crashing through the room and headed straight towards Anders.

“Oh, FU-“ but before he could even finish the expletive, the dog had already jumped up on the couch and swarmed Anders in happy kisses.

“Boy! Sit!!” Hawke was running back from the kitchen trying to stop the dog, but he the damage was already done. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” he apologized, grabbing the dog by its collar to pull it off the couch. “I was going to keep him in one of the back rooms so he wouldn't bother you but when I went in to grab something, he just barrelled out. At least he seems to like you?”

“It’s fine, I just wasn't expecting to mauled today,” Anders said calmly, readjusting the tie in his hair that had come loose in the vicious lick attack. “I’m not scared of dogs or anything, but this is why I like cats better. No… slobbery kisses.”

Hawke looked down at the dog and turned it to face Anders. “Boy, apologize to our friend Anders. I was trying to make a good impression!” The pitbull sat at Anders’ feet and gave him a few more sniffs before giving calmer licks at his legs. “Good puppy.”

“That's a puppy? It looks like it can eat me.”

“He's turning 3 this year so he’s still kinda in his puppy phase. The energy hasn't seemed to wear off yet, unfortunately..” Hawke nervously scratched at his neck while he carefully watched the dog interact with his guest.

“He seems nice enough. What's his name?” Anders slowly patted the dog on its head to which the dog responded by giving him more affectionate kisses; its little tail wagging madly.

“His name is Boy.”

“Wait- just Boy?”

“It’s short for Good Boy,” Hawke admitted sheepishly.

“Wow, you are such a dork,” he gave a little laugh while still petting the dog. “That's cute but it has nothing on my cat Ser Pounce-a-lot, though.”

“That’s… a mouthful.”

“Usually, I just call him Ser Pounce. Or Dipshit, if he's been knocking over my things.”

To that Hawke let out another of his adorable chuckles, “Dipshit is a way better name for a cat.” They sat there quietly for a moment while Anders warmed up to his pet. “Did you want me to move him to the back room again or are you ok with him here?”

Anders looked down at his new friend and smiled. “He's ok here if he’s calmed down a bit.” While he spoke, Boy took a couple last sniffs before retiring to his dog bed by the fireplace and began to snore. “Well, I suppose that works too.”

“Yeah, he's a lazy guy. It gives us a little peace and quiet, which is nice.”

With no dog to focus on, Anders was back to only having Hawke to focus on- which was more than a little nerve wrecking. He didn't know what small talk to make since it's been so long since the last time he was at a guy’s house. Looking around he offered maybe the worst conversation starter, “Nice place, by the way. Fireplace is a snazzy touch.”

Hawke stepped over and sat beside Anders on the couch, a comfortable distance apart. “My mom and sister took care of the ground floor, which is why it looks the nicest to be honest. I set up the basement myself and it's pretty cool, actually. I have my own gym set up down there so if it gets spectacularly shitty out, I don't even have to leave the house.” Anders gave another once over at his surroundings and was suddenly quite aware of how extravagant it was. Modest, but had certain touches that made it clear some money was put into it. The crown moulding around the room and the huge smart TV that was mounted on the wall were pretty obvious, not to mention the real hardwood and genuine leather furniture. “Did you want the grand tour?” Hawke's voice bringing him back into the present and he noticed the man had a hand outstretched.

“A tour would be great,” Anders said when he finally remembered to talk, taking Hawke's hand as they both rose off the couch. Hawke’s hand was warm and rough, and almost let out a whine when their hands parted once Anders was helped up.

The host led the way through the executive town home, first going into the kitchen. “Here's where the real magic happens,” Hawke joked as he presented the kitchen with both hands. The kitchen was a pure white all around except for the striking black granite countertops that circled the area. The kitchen was huge, with a island in the centre that had a mini fridge built-in. “I forgot to offer- sorry for being a bad host. Did you want anything to drink or would you just like the wine with dinner?”

“I'm ok for now thanks, I'm just busy admiring. The kitchen, of course.”

“Anders, you embarrass me,” a thick hand clapped the blonde on the back taking the breath out of him momentarily, mostly due to nerves and Hawke touching him again.

Anders’ eyes caught sight of the oven light on, as well as a steamer sitting atop a pot on the stove . Oh, you didn't even tell me what you were making?”

“Now that's a secret,” Hawke winked and Anders died for a brief moment. Hawke must know exactly what all of his little actions do to him. “On to the next room!” They walked around the corner and down a short flight of stairs. “Now for my favourite part of the house, my temple,” to which Anders lovingly rolled his eyes. The gym had all of the essentials plus a few extra pieces Anders wasn't entirely sure what parts they were supposed to work out. Maybe they were on of those combination things he’ll see advertised on TV, but what really caught his eye was the long counter at the back of the room with built-in shelving behind it, filled to the brim with bottles and glasses and other mixing paraphernalia.

“Do you… do you have a bar in your gym?” His jaw was dropped, but he felt this was so in-line with Hawke’s personality that he wasn't entirely surprised.

“Fully stocked, baby.” He sauntered over to the counter and looked back over his shoulder at Anders. “You sure you don't want a drink? I took a bartending course in college, I’m not half bad, you know.”

“How can I say no, now?” He crossed his arms as he watched Hawke set himself up behind the bar.

“What would you like.. oh wait, don't say anything! One second.” Puzzled, Anders eyed him while he threw around some bottles and fetched a tumbler and some ice. After a few moments, Hawke slid him a drink and he took a sip.

He breathed in sharply and smiled. “You made me a gin and tonic,” he said incredulously. Hawke remembered his favourite drink.

“I'll be honest, I never drink gin but I remembered to pick some up for you. That's what you got at the bar, right?” Hawke looked almost embarrassed as he spoke, keeping his eyes averted as Anders raised his lips to the cool glass.

“You mix strong drinks. Unfortunately, I can't tip you.” The moment he said the too-flirty line, he almost felt regret but Hawke immediately lit up and a brilliant smile stretched across his face.

“I'm sure you can figure out something. Come on, back upstairs. I do have to feed you at some point.” His host led the way back up the stairs, and he couldn't help but stare at his ass on their way up. Now, Anders could only think of ways he could repay the tip. Hawke eventually led him into the dinning room that was already set and he motioned for him to sit down. He rested his drink on the table by himself after Hawke said he would step out for a moment to get the food. While sitting at the table, he could hear Hawke cheer “Perfect!” from the kitchen along with the rustling of cookware. The dining room had a grand bay window that provided a nice view for the backyard, as much as he could tell anyways since it had gotten so dark out already. The table was perfect for six people but only two place settings were arranged across from each other. Anders’ anxiety hadn't been bothering him all night which was more than welcome but the reality of Hawke making a full dinner for him was starting to set in and he heart began to beat loudly in his ears. Hawke was still in the kitchen so Anders slipped an Ativan under his tongue while he waited to be safe; no point in disassociating during a nice dinner to fuck everything up. As the pill dissolved under his tongue, he began to feel a little more calm just as Hawke entered the room. Anders turned in his chair to look at him, and oh god, he had put on the stupidest “Kiss the Cook” apron complete with adorable oven mitts that held onto the large dish that held the main course.

“The apron was a beautiful touch,” Anders remarked, a grin settling on his features.

“Ain't it just? Ok, so the menu for today includes this delicious roast beef with a side of steamed greens with a balsamic reduction for extra style points.” As he placed the meat on the table, he ran back to the kitchen for the vegetables and a basket of warmed bread. He took off the apron and set it aside. “I admit, I did not bake the bread, but the woman on television told me store bought is fine.” They laughed together and Hawke settle himself down at the table and poured them both a glass of wine.

“This is amazing, honestly. Thank you for this.”

“Well, eat it first and lets see if you're still thanking me afterward.”

The meat was perfectly pink inside and tasted just as good as it looks. Anders wasn't particularly fond of vegetables but was surprised when they were amazing as well. It could have been just because Hawke cooked it for him, but he wasn’t going to think about it too hard. This entire set-up was perfect and Anders wondered how he got so lucky to be eating a wonderful meal with this amazing guy. They drank their wine and swapped stories, Hawke confessing how he rushed to put something together for the evening and how pleased he was that it didn't set his house on fire.

“We could have planned for something a little later on if I knew you were speeding around to get things done. I feel like I'm not much to get worked up over.”

“Don't say that about yourself. I wanted to do something nice. Honestly, I hoped I would have impressed you.” Hawke’s eyes bore into Anders’ after the statement to gauge his reaction. Anders was frankly at a loss for words. He was impressed- way more than just impressed. They could have eaten a box of macaroni for Maker’s sake and Anders would have still be elated.

“Hawke, honestly, you do too much for me. This whole evening has been impressing. Sure, I could have done without the dog kisses, but even that was at least a little funny.”

Satisfied with the answer, Hawke took another drink of his wine. “I'm glad.”

There was also dessert ready, but for this one Hawke clearly didn't shell out as much effort or as a simple joke he brought out a box of chocolate ice cream that they each scooped their own servings into little bowls with their dinner plates pushes aside on the table to make room. As they finished their ice cream, Anders knew the evening was coming to an end. This beautiful, perfect evening that he knew he would be thinking of for weeks on end. Anders rose from the table, grabbing both his and Hawke's dinner plates. “You've been working so hard, at least let me take care of the dishes.”  
“No, come on. I’ll just worry about them later,” Hawke protested.

“Nope! Can't hear you!” And he continued to the kitchen, placing the dishes down on the counter and then coming back to eventually clear the table. Hawke had a dishwasher for the larger dishes, but he decided he should clean the wine glasses and decanter by hand. The task also let him catch his breath for a moment; his medication certainly helped but he still needed a moment to himself if he could have one. Plus, he just wanted to do something helpful for Hawke since the whole evening was a little overwhelming. Anders worked quietly for a few minutes before hearing faint footsteps coming behind him.

“I said I’d worry about them later…” Hawke’s breath on his neck made his hair stand up on end and a chill coursed through him when a thick hand reached around him and planted itself gently on Anders’ hip, the pressure freezing him in place.

Even being caught entirely off-guard, Anders made an attempt at a smart answer. “Do dishes not count as a tip for the drink?”

“How about this instead?” Before Anders had the time to process the sentence, Hawke had turned him around and pressed his lips against Anders’. It started gently, the brushing of lips were delicate and timid to gauge each other's reaction to the connection. Anders had been thinking of their last chaste kiss every night following the bar and this brought everything back to the surface. Hawke stepped closer, closing whatever distance was left between the men and softly pushed Anders against the counter as he kissed him. Anders let out a quiet moan as he was backed against the cold granite with the taste of Hawke on his lips. Hawke pushed on, deepening the kiss with a playful bite to his partner’s lip to which Anders gasped at in surprise. He had prayed Hawke was a biter and he welcomed the bite by parting his lips further allowing Hawke to slip his tongue inside, the sharp taste of the wine still heavy upon it. Anders wrapped his arms around Hawke’s neck and loosely curled his fingers in his dark hair and they were standing flush against each other, the friction a painful reminder of the clothing between them.

Pinned against the counter, Anders could feel his jeans getting tighter by the second, unfamiliar with the intimacy Hawke so freely showed to his guest. What got him the most was the leg Hawke had slipped between his thighs that pressed into his growing arousal, eliciting a moan from the blonde. Hawke's lips suddenly left Anders’, and before he could whine in protest, they connected to the base of his neck. Teeth grazed along sensitive skin before resting by his collarbone, sucking at freckled skin with a twirl of his tongue. Now that there wasn't a mouth to keep him quiet, Anders breathed hard at the new sensation and he gripped Hawke tighter to keep himself upright. He couldn't keep his thoughts straight while Hawke focused his attention on him and could only focus on the sight before him, which even then was a difficult task as all he wanted to do was throw his head back with closed eyes to drink in as much of the feeling as he could.

Hawke traced more kisses and nips around his neck and each one made Anders melt a little more than the one that came before it. His breath got caught in his throat when a new feeling came to him- a hand gently palming him in the front of his denim. Anders didn't know how far he should go with Hawke but his mind was clouded by these feelings of lust he'd been wrestling for so long. He shouldn't stop himself from being happy- he should be able to do something crazy without guilt nagging him at every turn. He deserves someone who could make him cry out without overthinking the whole encounter. Anders knew his limits, but he craved more of Hawke’s feverish kisses and touch of his hands.

Hawke looked up into Anders eyes while he touched him as he tried to decipher if he could continue at his pace. Anders was speechless and could only muster a nod and a quick lick of his lips. Hawke’s voice was low and resonated deep inside Anders, “Let’s move.”

Turning around, Hawke grabbed hold of Anders’ hand and led him up the stairs of his home and Anders could hear his heartbeat loud in his ears with the adrenaline coursing through him. Hawke opened the first door on the right after coming to the second level and pulled Anders in tight for more wild kisses while they crashed into the room. Anders didn't get a good look of the room because as soon as they crossed the door frame, he was thrown down onto the cool sheets of Hawke’s bed. Hawke followed soon after, climbing on top of Anders who watched him as if he was a deer caught in the headlights. Anders was so overwhelmed, but God, he needed more. Hawke leaned down so the weight of his body could be felt by his partner and the sheer size of him was intimidating but simultaneously wildly arousing. Two pairs of hands were grabbing without any clear goal while they kissed, both of them needing more contact but neither had enough coordination at the moment to make anything connect. Anders was grabbing for Hawke's hair again and his hips jut upward begging for friction in his constricted state. A hand raked down Anders’ torso before resting above the button of his fly of his jeans and suddenly Anders came crashing back to reality. He flinched at the touch and his eyes were blown wide. He desperately wanted to continue, but this had to be on his terms.

Hawke felt the hesitation in the man and his gaze softened upon Anders. “Did something happen? Is everything ok?”

“Yes… I'm totally ok. I just- I just don't think I can go all the way tonight?” Anders did want Hawke to fuck him senseless, God, so fucking senseless, but it was just too soon.

“That's entirely ok, I understand, honestly.” Hawke started to lift himself up off of Anders but Anders took the moment to grab Hawke by the shoulders and have him be the one with his back on the mattress and Hawke gasped in surprise at the sudden maneuver.

“…But just because I don't want to go all the way doesn't mean I don't want to please you.” Anders’ eyes were hungry now, drinking in the sight of Hawke splayed on the bed with his erection making a clear outline in his pants.

“Fuck… you know you don't have to if you don't want.” Hawke was desperately scanning Anders face for any sign of hesitation but found none.

“If you won't let me do the dishes then this is definitely the tip.”

Hawke couldn't help but laugh. “Still with the smart mouth, though.”

“Obviously,” Anders purred as his nimble fingers undid Hawke's pants and pulled them down. Even with briefs still covering him, Hawke was impressive to look at. Anders leaned down and pressed a kiss to the front of the fabric, barely grazing the cock underneath but Hawke was already buckling. He breathed over his length and could already smell the arousal coming off of him. Anders was teasing himself by waiting and finally pulled down the underwear and threw them off the bed near where he tossed the trousers, though he wasn't so much focused on his aim as he was the thick cock in front of him. He gingerly wrapped his thin fingers around Hawke's length and Hawke couldn't help but groan as Anders slowly stroked down, a small trace of precum dripping down with the pull of his foreskin.

Anders gave a few lazy strokes while keeping his eyes on Hawke and he could see him growing impatient with each languid motion. Anders could have used both hands if he wanted to and was trying to calculate how he was going to take him. Anders never seemed to have a gag reflex and could deep throat with no issues, but he felt like Hawke would be more of a challenge with his size. He dipped his head down and began to take Hawke in his mouth, the salty taste of his skin absolutely intoxicating. He may have been a bit out of practice but Anders loved a good challenge as he wrapped his swollen lips around him, his tongue circling the head while his hand worked the shaft. Hawke reached out and grabbed Anders’ hair not to direct him because, fuck, Anders knew what he was doing, but to keep him grounded while his partner expertly sucked him off. He couldn't help but thrust forward deeper in Anders mouth. The unexpected movement made Anders gag a little, to his embarrassment, but what he didn't know was that Hawke thought this was utterly hot and tried to replicate it by pushing in again. Anders’ eyes flickered back to Hawke with a warning look but Hawke had this shit eating grin on his face that was disgustingly charming and Anders couldn't help but push down his embarrassment because Hawke was loving this. “Fuck, just like that. You're so good with that mouth of yours.”

The words pushed Anders further, relaxing his mouth to see how far back he could accommodate his length. Shielding his teeth, he sunk down on his cock until he felt it hit the back of his throat and Hawke’s talk turned to incoherent babbles. Hawke's twitching became more wild and the grip on Anders’ hair got tighter as Anders worked faster.

“If you keep that pace, I'm going to come. Oh, God, Anders.” Anders knew exactly what he was doing and kept sucking, his tongue massaging the underside of his dick and his hand that was pumping in tandem. Hawke’s toes curled in the sheets and he threw his head back in ecstasy, “Fuck, Anders, I'm coming!” Hawke’s body shuddered as he came down Anders’ throat in thick spurts and Anders obediently swallowed around his cock. After a few heavy breaths, Hawke's body stilled and Anders climbed up the bed and flopped himself beside Hawke.

Laying on his side, Anders watched Hawke collect himself as he came down from his high. Anders’ own mind was clear and he felt just as blissed out as his partner, riding out the calm aura in the room. Hawke was the first to brake the silence and spoke in a raspy voice, “Christ, you're fantastic,” and he pulled Anders in close for a deep kiss, his own taste was still on Anders tongue. His body was radiating heat and Anders clung close, nuzzling his head in the crook of Hawke's neck. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to cuddle or even stay afterwards, but staying close to Hawke just felt right. There was something so comfortable about being with him that it was going to be hard for him to go home after all of this; the only thing that nagged at him was wondering what this situation meant for them- would this be something that could happen again? Or was this the end game Hawke was looking for? Anders shoved the intruding thoughts to the back of his head and instead closed his eyes and took comfort in the feeling of being held so close to Hawke's chest.

“So, does that make a good enough tip?”

Hawke smiled and pressed a kiss to Anders’ forehead. “Yeah, I think that covers it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to everyone who has been keeping up with the story and leaving feedback on each instalment, it means a lot :) I have lots of fun stuff planned and I'm very much looking forward to putting those thoughts on paper. You can find me on tumblr under the same name (localnastyboy) if you're so inclined, where I'll post a variety of things along with chapter updates. Thanks again!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My God, it's been a while. Incredibly short chapter to show I'm not dead and I still care about these boys. Last year was filled with a lot of misfortune and medical emergencies so not quite the best time to write, but I think I have enough time for myself to relax a bit and just write.  
> So like I said, incredibly short chapter but more will be on the way in hopefully a more timely manner :) If you're still here, thank you!

Crowds of people passed by in 15 minute intervals as he sat on a cushioned bench in the arrivals section of the airport. Anders had never been a plane before and the idea of being up in the air in a glorified bus crowded with too many people sounded like a fate worse than death- but he would happily wait for his friend he'd been missing terribly for weeks. When Isabela gave him the call that she would be home a few days earlier than expected, he jumped at the opportunity to pick her up. She was arriving at 5am and assured him she could just take a cab and let him sleep but it was his day off and he would be lying if he didn't stay up all night in excitement anyways.

He had arrived early, as usual, and started dozing off but the announcement of her flight arriving on the PA system jolted him upright. After the plane landed, he knew it would be maybe another 10 or so minutes until she would walk through those doors. He fiddled with a magazine that someone had left on the seat beside him to fill the empty moments and scanned the room every few moments just in case he missed her.

Right as he began to get impatient, the sliding doors opened and a crowd of people started filtering through. Anders sprung to his feet and scoured the crowd for his best friend, and just as he started to begin to think she wasn't going to be there, a loud “ANDY!” echoed through the room and the feeling of Isabela running at him full force almost knocked the wind out of him. Hundreds of kisses filled his cheeks and things finally felt right. “There's so much to talk about, darling! But please, take me to a breakfast joint immediately or else I may die!”

“Travelling didn't help your dramatics, I see,” Anders said with a widening grin.

She gave a shove to a Anders’ shoulder. “Absolutely not.”

 

\----

  
Breakfast was quickly shovelled down by the pair and Isabela shared a few light anecdotes about the flight. They promised they would have a real visit with each other soon but they were both incredibly tired so after finishing the last of their plates, Anders dropped her off and they traded kisses on the cheek before he drove back to his apartment.

Fishing his phone out of his pocket, Anders checks for any missed notifications. He hasn't corresponded with Hawke in a day or so but he's confident he’ll see him soon; if their last meeting together meant anything (and Anders prayed it did), things were going positively in his books. Pounce nipped and scratched at his legs while he lounged on his bed as he wound-down for the rest of the evening. He figured Pounce could smell Isabela on him and was just as anxious to see her again as he was. When she’s over, Anders swears Pounce loves her more than he loves him and honestly that's fair in his books.

A muffled hum from under his blanket surprises him and he frantically fumbles with the sheets to unearth his phone from the ungodly pile of blankets and pillows that takes over his bed. A very short message appears in a banner on his phone once he finally snags the thing.

_“You wouldn't happen to know how to skate, would you?”_


End file.
